2015 Seat Altea ignition

Dash panel
Turn signals 
 Depending on which turn signal is operating,
either the left
 or right  turn signal lamp
fl a
shes. Both control lamps will flash at the
same time when the hazard warning lights
are switched on.
If any of both turn signals fails, the warning
lamp will start flashing twice faster than nor-
mal.
For further information on the turn signals,
please see ››› page 77.
Engine management*  This warning lamp monitors the engine man-
agement system for petrol engines.
The warning lamp  (Electronic Power Con-
trol) lights up when the ignition is switched
on while system operation is being verified. It
should go out once the engine is started.
If there is a fault in the electronic engine
management system while you are driving,
this warning lamp will light up. Stop the vehi-
cle and seek technical assistance.
Glow plug system / Engine fault The warning lamp lights up to show that the
glow plugs are preheating the diesel engine. The control lamp
 lights up
If the c

ontrol lamp  lights up when the en-
gine is

started it means that the glow plugs
are preheating. When the warning lamp goes
off, the engine should be started straight
away.
Control lamp  flashes
If a f

ault develops in the engine management
system while you are driving, the glow plug
system lamp will flash 
. Take the vehicle to
a specialised workshop as soon as possible
and have the engine checked.
Main beam headlights  The warning lamp  lights up when the main
beams are on or when the headlight flasher
is operated.
For further information see
›››
page 77.
Soot accumulation in the diesel
engine particulate filter  If the control lamp
 lights up you should
help the filter clean itself by driving in the ap-
propriate manner.
To do this, drive about 15 minutes in fourth
or fifth gear (automatic gearbox: S gear
range) at a minimum speed of 60 km/h (37 mph), with the engine running at approxi-
mately 2,000 rpm. In this way, the soot build
up in the filter is burned. When cleaning is
successful, the control lamp turns off.
If the lamp
 does not turn off, or the three
l amp

s turn on (particulate filter , fault in
the emission control system  and glow
plugs ), drive the vehicle to a specialised
workshop and have the fault repaired at the
earliest opportunity. WARNING
● Always drive according to the road weather
conditions, the terrain and traffic. Driving rec-
ommendations should never lead to illegal
manoeuvres in surrounding traffic.
● The diesel engine particulate filter may
reach extremely high temperatures; in this
case the vehicle should be parked so that it
does not enter into contact with highly flam-
mable materials underneath the vehicle. Oth-
erwise there is a risk of fire. Anti-lock brake system (ABS)* 
The warning lamp  lights up for a few sec-
onds when the ignition is switched on. It
goes out again after the system has run
through an automatic test sequence.
»
41Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Operation
There is a fault in the ABS if:
● The warning lamp 
does not light up
when the ignition i
s switched on.
● The control lamp does not go out again af-
ter a few seconds.
● The control lamp lights up when the vehicle
is moving.
The vehicle can still be braked in the normal
way, without the ABS function. Take the vehi-
cle to a specialised workshop as soon as
possible. For further information on the ABS
see the ››› page 136
.
If a fault occurs in the ABS, the ESC* control
lamp will also light up.
Brake system fault
If the ABS warning lamp  lights up together
with the brake warning lamp , there is a
fault in the ABS function and in the brake
system ››› .
WARNING
● Before opening the bonnet, read and ob-
serve the warnings ››› page 163, Working in
the engine compartment.
● If the br

ake system warning lamp  should
light up together with the ABS warning lamp
, stop the vehicle immediately and check the brake fluid level in the reservoir
››› page 172, Brake fluid. If the brake fluid
l ev

el has dropped below the “MIN” mark you
must not drive on. Risk of accident. Obtain
technical assistance.
● If the brake fluid level is correct, the fault in
the brake system may have been caused by a
failure of the ABS system. This could cause
the rear wheels to lock quickly when you
brake. This could cause the rear to break
away. Risk of skidding. Stop the vehicle and
seek technical assistance. Washer fluid* 
This warning lamp lights up to indicate that
the windscreen washer level is very low.
This serves as a reminder to fill up the reser-
voir at the earliest opportunity
››› page 171.
The following message is shown on the in-
strument panel display* 1)
: REFILL WIND-
SCREEN WASHER FLUID .
Alternator  This warning lamp signals a fault in the alter-
nator.The warning lamp

lights up when the igni-
tion i

s switched on. It should go out when the
engine has started running.
If the warning lamp 
lights up while driv-
ing, the alternator is no longer charging the
battery. You should immediately drive to the
nearest specialised workshop.
You should avoid using electrical equipment
that is not absolutely necessary because this
will drain the battery.
Worn brake pads  If the
 symbol lights up, have the front
brake pads (and, for safety reasons, the rear
pads as well) inspected by a specialised
workshop. 1)
Depending on the version of the model.
42

Dash panel
Tyre pressure  Fig. 32
Centre console: tyre monitoring sys-
tem button. The tyre pressure monitoring system controls
tyre speed and the frequency spectrum of
each tyre.
The tyre monitoring lamp
1)
compares wheel
revolutions and with it, using the ESC, the
wheel diameter of each wheel. If the diame-
ter of a wheel changes, the tyre control lamp
 lights up. The wheel diameter changes
when:
● Tyre pressure is insufficient.
● The tyre structure is damaged.
● The vehicle is unbalanced because of a
load. ●
The wheels of one axle are under more
pressure (for example, driving with a trailer or
on steep slopes).
● The vehicle is fitted with snow chains.
● The temporary spare wheel is fitted.
● The wheel on one axle is changed.
Tyre pressure adjustment
Following the modification to tyre pressure or
after changing one or more wheels, the but-
ton ››› Fig. 32 must be pressed down while
the ignition i s
on until an audible warning is
heard and the warning lamp goes out.
If the wheels are under excessive load (for ex-
ample, driving with a trailer or heavy load),
tyre pressure must be increased to the rec-
ommended value for a full load (see the
sticker on the inside of the fuel flap). If the
tyre monitor system button is pressed down,
the new tyre pressures are confirmed.
The tyre pressure control lamp  lights up
If the tyre pressure of one or more wheels is
much lower than the value set by the driver,
the tyre control warning lamp lights up ››› .The tyre pressure control lamp
 flashes
If the ty

re pressure control lamp flashes, this
indicates a fault. Go to the nearest special-
ised workshop. WARNING
● When the tyre pressure monitoring lamp
lights up, reduce speed immediately and
avoid any sudden manoeuvre or braking.
Stop when possible, and check the tyre pres-
sure and status.
● The driver is responsible for maintaining
correct tyre pressures. For this reason, tyre
pressure must be regularly checked.
● Under certain circumstances (e.g. when
driving in a sporty manner, in winter condi-
tions or on a dirt track) the tyre monitoring
lamp may light up or function incorrectly. Note
If the battery is disconnected, the yellow
warning lamp  lights up after turning the
ignition on.

This should turn off after a brief
journey. 1)
Depending on the model version
43
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Dash panel
Cruise speed (cruise control)*  The warning lamp 
comes on when the
c
ruise control system is switched on. For fur-
ther information on the cruise control system,
see ››› page 142
.
Indicator for open doors or boot*  This warning lamp lights up if one of the
doors is open.
The warning light
 should go off when all
the doors are closed correctly.
The system also works when the ignition is
switched off. It should disappear approxi-
mately 15 seconds after the vehicle has been
locked.
Electromechanical steering*  For vehicles with power steering, the level of
steering assistance depends on the vehicle's
speed and on the steering angle.
The warning lamp should light up for a few
seconds when the ignition is switched on. It
should go out once the engine is started.
If the battery is disconnected, the indicator
remains lit, even with the engine running. The warning light only goes off after a dis-
tance of approx. 50 m.
There is a fault in the electromechanical
steering system if the lamp does not go out
or lights up while the vehicle is in motion.
The warning lamp may appear in two differ-
ent colours to indicate faults. If the light is
yellow, it indicates a minor fault. If the light is
red, seek assistance from a specialised work-
shop immediately, as the power steering is
not working; in this case you should not keep
driving. Stop the vehicle and seek technical
assistance. The power steering does not work
if the battery is flat or if the engine is off (e.g.
for towing). You should take into account that
you will need considerably more power than
normal to steer the vehicle if the power steer-
ing is not working correctly or at all.
For those vehicles fitted with ESC*, the
“Steering manoeuvre recommendation”
››› page 134 function is included.
Emi s

sion control system*  Control lamp
 flashes:
When there is misfiring that can damage the
catalytic converter. Reduce speed and drive
carefully to the nearest specialised workshop
to have the engine checked. The instrument panel displays the following
message
1)
: EXHAUST GAS SEE WORKSHOP
.
The c ontr

ol lamp 
lights up:
If a fault has developed during driving which
has reduced the quality of the exhaust gas
(e.g. lambda probe fault). Reduce speed and
drive carefully to the nearest specialised
workshop to have the engine checked.
The instrument panel displays the following
message:
EXHAUST GAS SEE WORKSHOP .
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)*
 /. There are two control lamps for the electronic
stability control. The lamp
 provides infor-
mation concerning function and  disconnec-
tion status.
Both warning lamps light up together when
the ignition is switched on and should turn
off after approximately 2 seconds. This is the
time taken for the function check.
This programme includes the ABS, EDL and
ASR. This also includes the brake assistance
system (BAS), automatic cleaning of the
brake discs and the trailer stability pro-
gramme (TSP). »1)
Depending on the version of the model.
45
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Operation
The warning lamp 
has the following
f
unctions:
● It flashes whilst driving when the ASR/ESC
is activated.
● It will light up if there is a fault in the ESC.
● As the ESC operates in conjunction with the
ABS, the ESC light will also come on if a fault
should occur in the ABS.
If the ESC control lamp 
stays on after the
engine is started, this may mean that the
control system has temporarily switched off
the ESC. In this case the ESC can be reactiva-
ted by switching the ignition off and then on
again. If the control lamp goes out, this
means the system is fully functional.
The  lamp provides information about the
disconnection status of the system:
● It stays lit when the ASR is disconnected
when pressing the  switch.
Differential lock fault (EDL)* The EDL operates along with the ABS in vehi-
cles equipped with Electronic Stability Con-
trol (ESC)*.
A malfunction in the EDL is indicated by the
ABS control lamp
. Take the vehicle to a specialised workshop as soon as possible.
For further information on the EDL see
››› page 135, Electronic differential lock
(EDL)* .
T r

action control system (ASR)*  /  The traction control system prevents the driv-
en wheels from spinning when the vehicle is
accelerating.
There are two warning lamps for the traction
control system:
 and . Both warning lamps
light up together when the ignition is switch-
ed on and should turn off after approximately
2 seconds. This is the time taken for the func-
tion check.
The  lamp has the following function:
● It flashes when the ASR is working if the ve-
hicle is moving.
If the system is deactivated or if it has any
fault, the warning lamp will remain lit. The
warning lamp will also light up if a fault
should occur in the ABS because the ASR op-
erates in conjunction with the ABS. For fur-
ther information, see ›››
page 137. The
 lamp provides information about the
di

sconnection status of the system:
● It stays lit when the ASR is disconnected
when pressing the ASR OFF switch.
By pressing it again, the ASR function is reac-
tivated and the warning lamp switched off.
Speed selector lever lock  The brake pedal must be depressed when
this warning lamp lights up. This is necessary
when the automatic gearbox* selector lever
is moved out of the positions
P
or N
.
Electronic immobiliser* “Safe” This warning lamp flashes if an unauthorised
key is used.
Inside the key there is a chip that deactivates
the electronic immobiliser automatically
when the key is inserted into the ignition.
The electronic immobiliser will be activated
again automatically as soon as you pull the
key out of the ignition lock.
The instrument panel displays the following
message
1)
: IMMOBILISER
. The vehicle cannot
be used in that case ›››
page 121. 1)
Depending on the version of the model.
46

Operation
to the gear display indicating whether you
should change up or down. Note
The gear change indication should not be tak-
en into account when quick acceleration is re-
quired (for example when overtaking). Odometer
The left-hand counter in the display registers
the total amount of distance covered by the
vehicle.
The right-hand counter registers the short
journeys. The last digit indicates steps of 100
metres. The trip recorder counter may be re-
set by holding down the reset button for a
few seconds.
Flexible service interval display Vehicles with
Service intervals dependent on
time/distance travelled already have certain
service intervals set. The intervals are calcu-
lated individually in vehicles with LongLife
service .
The ser v
ice interval display only indicates the
dates of services that include engine oil
change. The dates of all other services, such
as the Inspection Service or brake fluid change, appear in the sticker on the door pil-
lar or in the Maintenance Programme.
A
Service pre-warning will appear in the od-
ometer if a service is due soon. A “spanner”
symbol appears and the display “km” with
the distance that can be driven until the next
service appointment is due. This signal
changes after around 10 seconds. A “clock
symbol” appears and the number of days un-
til the service appointment should be carried
out. The following message is shown in the
instrument panel display*:
Service in
[XXXX]
kmor
[XXXX]
days
The service message will disappear approxi-
mately 20 seconds after the ignition is
switched on or the engine is running. The
normal display can be resumed by briefly
pressing the reset button on the trip counter
or by pressing the OK button on the steering
wheel controls.
With the ignition on, you can check the cur-
rent service message at any moment in the
Vehicle status menu or turning the reset but-
ton to access the service display. An
overdue service
is indicated by a minus
s

ign in front of the mileage or day informa-
tion.
Indications for vehicles with LongLife service
Technical progress has made it possible to
considerably reduce servicing requirements.
With the LongLife System, SEAT ensures that
your vehicle only has an Interval Service
when it is necessary. The length of the Inter-
val Services (max. 2 years) is determined by
factors such as conditions under which the
vehicle is used and personal driving style.
The service pre-warning will first appear 20
days before the date on which the service is
due. The distance travelled is rounded off to
the nearest 100 km and the time to full days.
The current service message can only be con-
sulted 500 km after the last service. Until
that time, only dashes are displayed. Note
● If you reset the display manually, the next
service interval will be indicated after
15,000 km or one year and will not be calcu-
lated individually.
● Do not reset the display between service
intervals as the display will otherwise be in-
correct. 48

Dash panel
●
In LongLife Service vehicles, if the battery
is disconnected for a long period, the days re-
maining until the next service cannot be cal-
culated. Therefore, the service message dis-
plays on the instrument panel may be incor-
rect. Take into account the maximum author-
ised service intervals. Warning or information message in
the display
The system runs a check on certain compo-
nents and functions when the ignition is
switched on and while the vehicle is moving.
Functional faults are indicated by symbols
with warning or information messages in the
display. An audible warning is given in cer-
tain cases.
Warning symbols
There are red warning symbols (priority 1)
and yellow warning symbols (priority 2).
Information text
In addition to warning messages given on a
fault, you will receive information in the dis-
play on procedures or will be asked to carry
out certain tasks. Note
In the case of screens without warning or in-
formation messages, faults are indicated ex-
clusively by the control lamps. Warning messages, Priority 1 (red)
If one of these faults occurs, the warning
lamp will light up or flash and will be accom-
panied by
three audible warnings. This is a
danger warning. Stop the vehicle and switch
off the en
gine. Check the fault and correct it.
Obtain professional assistance if necessary.
If several priority 1 faults are detected at the
same time, the symbols will be displayed one
after the other for about 2 seconds at a time
and will continue until the fault is corrected.
No menus will be shown in the display for the
duration of a priority 1 warning message.
Examples of priority 1 warning messages
(red)
● Brake system symbol  with the warning
message STOP BRAKE FLUID INSTRUCTION
MANUAL or STOP BRAKE FAULT INSTRUCTION
MANUAL . ●
Coolant symbol  with the warning mes-
s ag

e STOP SEE COOLANT INSTRUCTION MAN-
UAL.
● Engine oil pressure symbol  with the
warnin

g message STOP ENGINE OIL PRESSURE
LOW! INSTRUCTION MANUAL.
Warning messages, Priority 2 (yellow) If one of these faults occurs, the correspond-
ing warning lamp lights up and is accompa-
nied by
an audible warning. The function
should be checked as soon as possible.
If several priority 2 warning messages are de-
tected at the same time, the symbols are dis-
played one after the other for about 2 sec-
onds at a time. After a set time, the informa-
tion text will disappear and the symbol will
be shown as a reminder at the side of the
display.
Priority 2 warning messages will not be
shown until all Priority 1 warning messages
have been dealt with!
Examples of priority 2 warning messages
(yellow): 1)
● Fuel warning light with the information text
PLEASE REFUEL .
»1)
Depending on the version of the model.
49
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Operation
● Windscreen washer fluid level symbol 
with the information message ADD WIND-
SCREEN WASHER FLUID . Refill the windscreen
washer tank ››› page 171 .
In s
trument panel menus*
Example of menu use Fig. 36
Windscreen wiper lever: control but-
tons. Fig. 37
Controls on the steering wheel: con-
trol buttons. The setting of a speed warning will be used
as an example of how to use the menus. This
is a good idea if you are, for example, using
winter tyres which are not suited for the top
speed of the vehicle.
1. Open the main menu with the MFI lever
– Switch the ignition on.
– Hold down button B for 2 seconds to re-
turn to the main menu from another menu.
It may be necessary to repeat this opera-
tion until the main menu is displayed.
2. Open the menu “Configuration” with the
MFI lever
– To choose an option from the menu, press
the upper or lower end of the rocker switch.
The selected option is displayed between
two lines and there will also be a triangle
on the right. –
Select menu Configuration .
– Pr e

ss button A on the windscreen wiper
lever. The Configuration menu is opened.
2. Access the “Configuration” menu with the
steering wheel controls – To access the “Configuration” menu, press
button C
››› Fig. 37 until the menu is dis-
p l

ayed. Now you are in this menu.
3. Open the main menu “Winter tyres” – Select option Winter tyres using switch B .
– Press the button A . The menu
Winter tyres
is opened.
4. Program a speed limit warning – Use button B to select the option
+10 km/h or
-10 km/h
and press button B to either increase or decrease the speed
displayed.
5. To activate and deactivate the speed limit
warning – Use switch B to select the menu point
On / Off and press the button to switch the
s peed w

arning on or off. If the speed warn-
ing is deactivated, three dashes will be dis-
played
---.
6. To close the menu “Winter tyres” – In the menu select Back.
50